Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table parallel
The next test is most important. Put a dial test indicator into the milling ma-
chine's spindle. You may have to mount the indicator on a bar to extend it
out from the milling machine spindle's nose. Wind the Y axis as close to the
column as possible. Bring the indicator down on top of the milling machine's
table asclosetothefront ofthetable asyoucan.WindtheYaxistowards you
and watch the indicator. It should remain parallel within a thou if possible. Any
more than this and I would not buy the machine, as the table is not square to
the spindle and it would be a major job to correct this. Note: This is nothing to
do with the squareness of the column; it is purely a check whether the table
is parallel to the machine slides below.
TRANSPORTING THE MACHINE HOME
Compared with a lathe, a milling machine is often larger and heavier, and
more often than not, it will be very top heavy. A small turret milling machine
such as a Warco VMC or the Tom Senior Light Vertical milling machine can be
stripped down for transportation, but the main body casting will be very heavy
and will need two very strong men (preferably three or four) to lift it. However,
ifyouhavehardstandingandgoodaccess,youcanmovethemillingmachine
with an engine hoist.
If you do have to strip the milling machine down to move it, again an engine
hoist will come in handy when you have to lift the main column back onto the
base cabinet. If you do not have an engine hoist, there are two other meth-
ods that I have used to lift a very heavy milling machine main column onto
its base. (Do not attempt either method on your own. Ideally two assistants
should be available.)
(1) Stand the column vertically on the workshop floor. Then lift and slide it
onto the top of the cabinet and then raise it upright; or
(2) Stand the column in front of the cabinet. Then lean the column to one
side and put a concrete breeze block under one side of the column; and then
tilt the column the other way so it is raised by the height of the breeze block
and put another breeze block under the column so the column is now raised
by one level of breeze block. Repeat until the column base is level with the
top of the machine base. Then you can carefully slide the column onto the
base cabinet.
